Working out in your own home can get overwhelming. Crowded spaces and clunky machinery are eyesores in any space. It seems the only available workout equipment on the market today caters to those who already have space, money, and time for a separate home gym altogether, so putting a big treadmill in the middle of the living room isn’t even part of the question. Hannah Fink, a designer with Pratt Institute, constructed The Groove in order to make the benefits of working out possible while maintaining comfortable living spaces.

The Groove was conceptualized based around the efficiency of pilates reformers, resistance training, and gymnastics, integrating an entire gym into one piece of furniture. Fink reimagined working out at home by merging practicality with style. The Groove mounts three cushioned units onto quiet, rubber wheels and connects them with resistance bands, allowing for a catalog of possible exercises: heel raises, bicep curls, leg presses, sliding planks. Pulling on inspiration from pilates and gymnastics, The Groove incorporates the four pillars of fitness: aerobic, strengthening, stretching, and balance. Since most pieces of home gym equipment focus on only one pillar, users might unknowingly neglect other muscle groups, which can lead to an imbalance that contributes to overuse injuries.

Home gyms should provide versatility for bodily ambulation; miniature experimentation offered Fink insight as to how The Groove could deliver that. The three levels of resistance that connect the units emphasize that mutability. After working alongside fitness professionals, Fink conceptualized and manufactured a final product that implements resistance bands of varying strength levels, along with handles, and barbell attachments for seated rows, tricep extensions, and bicep curls. Solid, white oak wood with beveled edges enhance the furniture’s aesthetic value, and an upholstered cushion made from weatherproof, washable fabric can easily be removed for deep cleaning. The versatility and simplicity of The Groove remind us that taking care of our physical health can be as convenient as it is healthful, so long as we allow it to be.

Designer: Hannah Fink